Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-12-19
Rev. AGr. olsdhtlrs Remarks.

This whole life is walked under shadow
Mystery hangs over everything. We do no,
understand anything about us. But the
greatest mystery of ii all is the dark fact of
death. Into its shadow and darkness come
10 you dear friends, to say words of comfor,
and consolation. What shall say will no,
take away your darkness, nor perhaps allay
your grief. But pray that the few words l
speak may be to you as glints of light amids,
the darkness. which shall help you to place
your feet in the next step Of your journey.
There have always been two ideas about
death held by the minds of men. The earli-
est idea was that death was a covered way
which led the soul into a silent region of
shadows and darkness where are gathered all
those who passed out of the earthly life.
This view was later modified BY the ideas
Of division of this region of shadows into
two facts, one of light and one Of darkness,
where were received into the one all the
souls of the good in life, and into the other
the souls of the evil. A further modification
led to the idea of some mysterious change
necessary to be made in the soul during life,
or in its absence at death, the soul was
plunged into this hopeless darkness and de-
spair.
But later came the more hopeful and ra-
tional view of death, which was that death is
but the door which opens for the soul into
another room of the Fathers house of many
mansions. And this is eminently the chris
tian view of death. Christ, the Redeemer,
says: "In My Fathers house are many
mansions. if it were not SO would have told
you go to prepare place for YOU" And
this view of death is further expressed by
the apostle when he e1clsims, For we know
If our earthly house of this tabernacle were
dissolved we have building of God a house
not made with hands, eternal in the heav-
ems"
There is stamped indelibly upon the heart
and soul of every man All inherent sense that
human destiny is ensphered in a divine order
This last view of death quickened the latent
sense in men's hearts and taught them that
the profound mystery out of which their life
issues does not end in an abyss of nothing
ness. 1t taught men that death does not end
all. Beyond death lies future which to the
rightly poised soul is not only without terror,
but is full of becoming peace. In that fut-
ure as well as in the present the all-l,ving
and all blessing goodness of God encompass
es the soul. This view of death also fur
nishes us with the ground and justification for
that deep peace which in disappointment and
loss stays itself on the assurance of ultimate
triumph.
Now, l can only hint at the great thing of
which desire you to think, the great thing
which would that you keep in your hearts,
faith that God always has a good and loving
reason for what he does. And by this faith
| | do not mean an unreasoning acceptance of
a dogma nothing of the kind. Any faith
that is real and living and true, bases itself
in and must grow out of the experiences of
the world. And the experiences of the world
have given us just such God as this faith
points to in whom to trnst.
1t is hardly necessary for me to point out
to you that he whom you idolized as husband
and father and brother, our beloved friend
and neighbor, the estimable citizen and hon.
ored chief executive, drew the inspiration of
his life from the same faith in God. Joseph
X. Bodwell was an eminent christian. He
held an unwavering faith in the universal
and unchanging love and goodness of God to
all men. From this faith he drew the sweet
ness and light and love which made him AMI
idol in the home circle. From this same
faith came that unusal degree of charity and
patience which he felt and exercised for all
who came in contact with him, or with whom
he had in any way to deal. This same faith
gave him that which so eminently distin-
guished him as citizen and neighbor, AMI
ever readiness to help and an open hearted
generosity and sympathy with every form of
need
As a public official his courageous main
tenance of what he deemed to be right and
for the best interests of the people had its
root in his great faith in the universal tri-
umph of righteousness and truth, and gave
him distinguished honor among the great men
of our country.
As source of comfort and consolation the
thought of these things will yield you rich
ness in the days of grief and darkness to-
come. In addition to this also what treas
ures will not your memories hold of the be-
loved. That you were permitted to live in
SO intimate and tender relations with nature
so noble and so benignant must always be a
cause of gratitude to the gver of all good
things.
As husband and father he was all that
heart could WISH true, tender, affectionate
and indulgent, shedding joy and gadness
upon all the household.
1t does not become me upon this occasion,
even if time permitted, to speak at length
of the eminent virtues of your beloved dead.
l desire only to call to mind briefly these
things and urge you to cherish the great faith
which was the light and joy of his life, for
your own comfort and consolation. Put your
confidence in God who faileth not, and wait
patiently for the deathless reunion which will
surely be yours in the life to come. God
leads us all out into the darkness, but only
that we may go up into His clearer light.
There is no death, what seems so is transi-
ton. This life of mortal breath is but sub
urb of the life elysian, whose portal we call
death"
The Procession.
which started from the residence at about IL
NJ, was solemn and impressive. twas COM
posed of nearly 400 persons all told, each in
1ividual of which and not alone of the secret
bodies, wore the fitting emblem of their grief
in the form of Grape. The order was as fol
lows:
Hacks, with relatives of the deceased.
Hearse with pail bearers, eight men. whor were:
Herman Lodge, Gardiner, No. 32 Daniel Z. Palme
and Augustus Bailey.
Augusta Lodge. No. Hi: Charles c. Hunt and 5.
Bethlehem Lodge, No. IS i; Allen and Hon. Geo
f. Weeks.
Hacks, with friends and relatives.
Hermon Lodge, No. 81; y. 4 A. NJ. of Gardiner, 8
men.
Augusta Lodge, No. sl4l OF Augusta
Kennebec Lodge No. 8, Of Haliowell.
Bethlehem Lodge, No. IS of Augusta.
Citizens in double file and In carriages.
Notes.
The following relatives and friends accom-
panied the remains to the capitol from Hal
lowell: Henry Bodwell, George Bodwell
Jos. c. Bodwell, W. II. Lowell, w. J. Bod
well, Clarence Bodwell Col. Allen, VIM
Wilson, Alexander Currier and d. J. Rich
ards.
Rev. Father Doherty, at the morning mas
of the Church Of the Sacred Heart, delivere
a very effecting and impressive eulogy O
Gov. Bodwelfs life. The text of the sci